‘The league is Garvey’s to lose’ says Bann boss

Bann lost out the last time they went head to head with Lisnagarvey and their boss reckons that has made all the difference so far. Pic: Rowland White / Presseye

Published:15:54Friday 18 December 2015

Banbridge Head Coach Mark Tumilty reckons the EY Irish Hockey league is now Lisnagarvey’s to lose.

The Hillsborough side sit four points clear at the top of the table with ten games remaining and that, Tumilty says, makes them favourites for the title.

He said: “Monkstown still have to come to our place. If you had offered me the position of being two points behind them with them having to come to Havelock, I’d have taken it.

“The problem now is that we’re six points behind Garvey. It’s theirs to lose now, I would say. They’re four points clear with 10 games to go.”

Garvey have won seven of their opening eight league matches, losing only to Monkstown back in October. They bounced back from that defeat with a 2-1 victory over Banbridge and that result was the first of a few disappointing outcomes for Bann so far this term.

“That win over us gave them a boost,” said Tumilty. “They kicked on whereas we got stuck. The points we dropped against Cork C of I late on were costly.

“After Christmas though, nobody really knows what way we’re going to be affected by international training. The boys could even be in Dublin three days a week so we’ll just have to see what happens.

“Garvey could have four players involved and Monkstown and us will have players there too.

“There’s still plenty to play for and there will be plenty of points dropped.”